More Sean Hannity Fallout Due To Legionary, Fr. Jonathan Morris

Fr. Jonathan Morris (born Aug 22, 1972 in Cleveland, Ohio), is the vice-rector of the Legionaries of Christ seminary in Rome. He is best known for his work for the Fox News Channel as a news contributor and analyst.

Fr. Morris wrote an open letter to Sean Hannity in the wake of Mr. Hannity's confrontation with Human Life International's president, Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer, STL. In the letter, Fr. Morris was critical of Fr. Euteneuer and apologized to Sea Hannity for the way Fr. Euteneuer handled the situation.

You can read Fr. Morris' letter here: An Open Letter to Sean Hannity

The letter from Fr. Morris is disappointing, to say the least.

Fr. Euteneuer wrote this excellent letter in response: An Open Letter To Fox Analyst Father Jonathan Morris

Incidentally, Fr. Euteneuer wrote an excellent piece after his television appearance on Hannity & Colmes. You can read it here: Hannity the Liberal

Fr. Euteneuer has a blog, as well. Here it is: Spirit & Life

Any thoughts?

Comments

[jimbo]

I don't know what to say to Fr. Morris. Fr. Euteneuer was so clearly right, and Sean Hannity so very much wrong, I can't believe we were watching the same interview.

[Kelly Smith]

Thank God Father Euteneuer had the courage to tell Sean Hannity what the truth really is. Perhaps Sean can be enlightened and brought back to Christ. His soul can still be saved.

[Mark]

Can't say that I disagreed with a single word Sean Hannity said.

[pat]

The Catholic Church is in a sad state these days. This is quite evident by the terrible judgement that Father Euteneuer, a supposed moral leader, made by ripping Sean Hannity in a public forum. Personally, I thank God for Sean and Father Jonathon.

[anthony]

I pray that Mr. Hannity and all other people in the public eye who have grown accustom to spewing heresy after heresy will grow in their faith enough to trust that this Catholic Church is the one true Church of God and really does know what its doing, especially when it teaches on the intrinsic evils of contraception by anyone inside or outside the Church.

[carolg]

pat -

Did you read where Fr. Euteneuer talked to Sean privately about this? Do you know it was Sean who invited him onto the show? Sean knew in that setting he could have complete control over the conversation and talk over him and not let him get his views out to even be considered. And sure enough, Sean just attacked him and was just defensive and wouldn't listen.

It was Fr. Jonathan who ripped Fr. Euteneuer in public w/o ever trying to talk to him privately.

Your opinion is shaped by the fact that the two people who behaved poorly happen to support your position on contraception, not the merits of their behavior.

[James]

Poor Sean Hannity got a dose of truth from Father Euteneuer, and got rebuked for promoting serious immorality. That is what a Catholic Father is supposed to do. Too bad most Catholic priests don't have the cojones Father Euteneuer does.

And everyone rushes to the side of Sean Hannity because his poor little feelings got hurt on TV. (Awwwwwwww...)

Sean Hannity knows perfectly well what the Catholic Church teaches on contraception, and he can find out why any time he wants. He says he wants to be Catholic. Well, if he does, then a priest might just rebuke him for promoting sin and evil and untruth on public TV.

Hannity just doesn't like it.

Same with people who don't like the Church's teaching on abortion, or sodomy, or forgiveness, etc. etc.

Sean Hannity deserved his rebuke and should take it like a man. That is - if he wants to be Catholic.

James

[Matthew McKinley]

All Catholics are supposed to avoid causing public scandal. Mr. Hannity conveniently left that part of theology out of his sad defense of his acts.

[D. Callan-Farley]

Fr. Thomas was ambushed. His defense was adequate, I wish he had waited for them to finish, then when they interuppted him, he could have said: "I listened to you, will you listen to me?"

The problem is simply that, despite his "seminary" experience, Mr. Hannity has received a flawed formation. Now, can we "judge" his immortal soul? NO. Can we name him a "heretic" based upon his public stand? Probably. Send him to Nebraska.

Mr. Hannity's questions were theatre of the absurd. "Does a non-Catholic have the choice to use birth control?" Fr. Thomas has only to speak for himself, as a Catholic.

[JCP]

I wonder if Fr. Jonathan has read about what Christ himself said about the lukewarm?

As someone familiar with the Legionaries of Christ, it is at once surprising and yet unremarkable that a Legionary priest would stand for orthodoxy and then attack the so-called lack of charity of those who proclaim the faith with vigor.

Do we think Jesus thought about "pastoral theology" when he overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple?

[A Simple Sinner]

Liberals I know have disdained the Legionaries of Christ as being neo-Jesuits. At least what the Jesuits were like in the 1600s. One Lutheran minister I know called them something like the "Pope's storm troopers".

If Fr. Johnathan is any indication, the likelihood the LC will become the scourge of the modernists... well, not so much.

What is most damaging about folks like Hannity or the Kennedys or even the Gibsons or anyone else is this:

While known to be Catholic by background, when their private judegements that are in conflict with the Church are made public through media and political forums, much damage is done. "You may be Catholic, but this thing you do or say publicly, is decidedly not." The longer they go with the "I'm Catholic, but..." routine, the more damage they do.

From time to time, however unpleasant or unpopular, it is a work of charity and mercy for a Catholic like Fr. Euteneuer to set the record straight.

[Matt C. Abbott]

I applaud Fr. Euteneuer!

As for Fr. Jonathan, it's quite unfortunate he didn't defend Fr. Euteneuer, but I'm not surprised, given his job at Fox News.

[CM]

To call someone else, in front of millions of people, a heretic, is unprofessional and certainly un-Christian. That interview should have never taken place.
How do you think this looks to non-Catholics? Many of them have a bad enough view of the church to start with, and this certainly does not help.
I don't entirely agree with Sean Hannity on much of anything, but I don't agree with him being labeled a "heretic." I applaud Father Jonathan for his blog about this exchange. BTW, if your thoughts and actions were to be known to all others, I doubt many of you would be worthy of receiving communion either.

[A Simple Sinner]

BTW, if your thoughts and actions were to be known to all others, I doubt many of you would be worthy of receiving communion either.

CM,

I readily affirm that! If it weren't for the grace of the confessional, this simple sinner would be hopeless.

The difference? I don't persist in my sin or temptations trying to tell Holy Mother church "you are 99% right!" I make a fundamental option to say "Where I don't line up with the teachings of the church, I am wrong."

[James]

"To call someone else, in front of millions of people, a heretic, is unprofessional and certainly un-Christian."

---

No it's not. The first duty of a Christian is to tell truth, and to refute evil lies. Do you think Sean Hannity is exempt from hearing moral truth just because he's on TV in front of millions? (And hey - he's Catholic! He knows what the Church teaches...)

Christ cut through all sorts of insidious lies - no matter whether people be offended or upset. Indeed, the whole Bible does just that - from beginning to end.

(And 'professionalism' has nothing to do with being a Christian...)

James

[Dan Severino]

I think if you read Fr. Jonathan's personal letter to Sean Hannity and read between the lines you will find that Fr. Johnathan agrees with Fr. Euteneuer on where the Church stands doctrinally on the issue of birth control.

The issue where the priests differ is on how to approach a public figure who is in error. It's not that two good priests can differ on a matter of discipline. Remember St. Paul and St. Barnabas each had a different view as to how to deal with a young John Mark. Mark's problem was different, not doctrinal, but the means of dealing with the problem was different between these two great men of God.

Sean Hannity has some significant issues with Catholic doctrine that need corrected and I hope (most probably in private) that Fr. Johnathan continues what Fr. Euteneuer began. Important Catholic figures in the public eye need to be properly loyal the Church (as any ambassador) and if they disagree with a doctrinal issue they need to keep it out of public discourse. Sean Hannity is IMO a very poor representative of Catholic truth. For as many times as he misrepresented the Church I'm glad someone publically let it be known that he was in error.

But I have every reason to believe that both priests and good priests and are working from as basis of integrity.

[pat]

Anne - Thanks for your comments. Can you do me a favor and tell me what my position on contraception is? You indicated that my position is shaped by two people that have behaved badly. While your at it, can you tell me what my position on other issues are? I would greatly appreciate it!

[pat]

All - this is a very good debate. Debate is healthy. For all the Hannity haters (God forgives you..), I surely hope you've directed as much animosity to the Church leaders that helped bury, or ignored, this little scandal that's been in the news the last several years. We don't want to be hypocritical...

[NaturalCatholicMama]

Dan, thank you for your thoughtful comments. I love Fr. Euteneuer's organization, HLI, give more to it than any other that I support - but I think that he was way out of line in his *approach* here. Privately, and then publicly, taking a public Catholic to task on his dissent is not out of line. It's the lack of charity in doing so that made me wince.

I have no doubt that Fr. Morris, whose blogs and Fox appearances have heartened me since they began, has been prayerfully and regularly discerning and implementing when and how to approach difficult issues with the public figures he regularly has the blessing to influence. It seems he disagrees with Fr. Euteneuer not on *what* he did, but *how* he did it, afraid that his long-term behind-the-scenes work of charitable correction may have been sent off course.

That seems a fair disagreement to me, and doesn't make either of them bad priests, softies, or idiots.

[Proud Catholic]

I truly thank the Lord for Sean as I have many other times for imparting truth at all costs. He is a prophet, there is no doubt. We are losing the abortion battle since they have illogically spouted the falsehood that abortion and contraception are equally evil. The sensus fidei does not buy this in the least, as they can determine how venial and moral sins apply in this instance. Thus, the reality is credibility has been lost in the pew and on the street. Sean was speaking of those who are not Catholic; that is those who the Church can not control. Some people selectively disregarded this fact.

[A Simple Sinner]

"We are losing the abortion battle since they have illogically spouted the falsehood that abortion and contraception are equally evil."

At times the ARE equally evil. The pill often acts as a chemical abortifacient - not preventing conception, but preventing gestation. Fetilized zygotes - whcih have souls and grow into people the same as you or I - are shed with the uterine lining during menses.

Many women on the pill have conceived a great deal more children than they will know about this side of heaven. They simply never gave birth because the pill served to give them an abortion.

at 3pm it has already been a long work day. Off to drink some green orange juice and take a nap.

[Miguel]

But isn't it the truth that Catholics who use artifical contraception are doing something gravely sinful, and if they are aware of that, they should not be receiving communion? Doesn't anyone know what sacrilege is anymore?

I too am extremely disappointed in the Legionaries of Chris over this. Fr. Morris' letter, whatever his intention, basically came off as Fr. E. was wrong and uncharitable, and "poor Alan and Sean." That may have not been Fr. Morris' intent, but that is the impression I was left with after reading his "I'm so sorry" letter to Hannity. Did Fr. Morris say in his letter that perhaps Sean was incorrect in using artifical contraception? Maybe yes, if one is reading between the lines. But why should one be required to read between the lines? Shouldn't a priest, especially one in a public forum, shout out the Truth from the mountaintops? Fr. Morris seems to have compromised with celebrity, just my humble opinion, but if Fr. Morris can judge Fr. E. to be uncharitable, I guess I can judge Fr. Morris to be compromised ....

The issues here are Truth and Hell. One should use one to avoid the other. This attitude of "nonjudgmentalism" at the expense of the truth seems typical of LC priests, and the LC will not get my support anymore, until they publicly disavow Fr. Morris' wimpy letter.

[Maryanne]

The fact is that one is either a faithful Catholic or they are not. What makes a faithful Catholic? We all are sinners so it is not whether we sin or not. What makes a faithful Catholic is that we accept all of the teachings of the Catholic Church. Sean Hannity is one of many who call themselves Catholic and are not faithful Catholics. And they are not cafeteria Catholics as there is no such thing. As Fr. Benedict Groeschel says "They are heretics". I am just so saddened that Fr. Jonathan Morris would let his "job" with Fox take precedence over his Vocation. He is to be in the world and not of it. As is the same for each of us. Fr. Euteneur is a faithful priest and he is walking down the narrow road as Jesus tells us leads to eternal life. I pray that I always walk that narrow road.